Known for playing a leading role in School Strike for Climate movement
Elijah Mckenzie-Jackson, age 16[1][2] is a student and British environmental activist commonly known to be a youth leader in the Fridays for future movement.[3][4]
Elijah first started his activism in April 2019 when he campaigned illegally outside Heathrow Airport[5] with a group called Extinction Rebellion. This was to stop the planned airport expansion, which has now been successfully cancelled.
Elijah is commonly known for playing a leading role in School Strike for Climate movement[3][6][7]
He went on an expedition into the Amazon rainforest, where he learnt about social and environmental injustice and met with well known activists such as the Pussy Riots and Chief Raoni[8][9] to discuss the future safeguarding of the Amazon Rainforest. Elijah especially connected with activist Anita Juruna, an 18-year-old Brazilian indigenous leader.[8] Language was not a barrier for Elijah and Anita. During the week they were together, they were seen together communicating through gestures and drawings about the different situations and struggles that they face.[10]
He went on a hunger strike in February 2020 over a proposed coal mine in West Cumbria[11][12] where he stated he 'would not eat until the proposed mine' was 'scrapped'.[13] He ended his hunger strike on Day 10 when he was invited into parliament to speak to Politician's about this mine.[14] His 10 day hunger strike got political attention and triggered actions/protests against the proposed Coal mine in Whitehaven.[15]
Elijah Mckenzie-Jackson has also signed an open letter to European Union leaders on why protesters thought that the new climate law was not ambitions enough.[16][17] Elijah along with 50 young activists from 7 countries took the first ever civil action in the European Parliament.[18]
Due to the Coronavirus which stared in 2020, Elijah has now decided to strike online for climate[19][20][21][22]